🇫🇷 France
France Guides
38 guides on moving to, living in, and buying property in France as an American. Organized by topic below.
Cost of Living
27 guides
Median Home Prices in 21 Countries vs. the USA: The Real Numbers for 2025-2026
14 of 20 countries are cheaper than the US median of $420K. Real data from national statistics offices, not travel blogs.
Cost of Living in France for Americans (2026) — Real Monthly Budgets
Paris vs Lyon vs Nice vs Bordeaux — rent, CAF housing aid, healthcare, and why the baguette is still €1.10.
Cost of Living in Switzerland for Americans (2026) — Real Monthly Budgets
Zürich, Geneva, Basel — the priciest country we cover. LAMal insurance, cantonal taxes, and CHF 30 lunch realities.
Cost of Living in Canada for Americans (2026) — Real Monthly Budgets
Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal — Express Entry costs, provincial healthcare wait times, and the American tax treaty advantage.
Cost of Living in Panama for Americans (2026) — Real Monthly Budgets
Panama City, Boquete, Bocas del Toro — dollarized economy, Pensionado discounts, CSS healthcare, and $1,800/month budgets.
Cost of Living in Ecuador for Americans (2026) — Real Monthly Budgets
Cuenca, Quito, Guayaquil — dollarized economy, $1,325/month retiree visa, IESS healthcare, and altitude adjustment reality.
The Real Cost of Buying a Ski Chalet in the French Alps as an American in 2026
What it actually costs an American to buy a ski chalet in Chamonix, Morzine, Meribel or Val Thorens in 2026 — prices, taxes, mortgages, and the rules everyone misses.
Cost of Living in Spain vs. USA (2026) — Real Side-by-Side Numbers
Real side-by-side numbers: rent, groceries, healthcare, taxes compared city by city — Madrid vs NYC, Valencia vs Austin. Spain is 37% cheaper overall.
Cost of Living in Portugal vs. USA (2026) — Real Side-by-Side Numbers
Real side-by-side numbers: Lisbon vs NYC, Porto vs Denver. Portugal is 42% cheaper overall with the 3rd safest country ranking and universal healthcare.
Cost of Living in Mexico vs. USA (2026) — Real Side-by-Side Numbers
Real side-by-side numbers: CDMX vs NYC, Mérida vs Austin. Mexico is 50%+ cheaper with $30 doctor visits and $2 street tacos — and it's a 3-hour flight home.
Cost of Living in Thailand vs. USA (2026) — Real Side-by-Side Numbers
Real side-by-side numbers: Bangkok vs NYC, Chiang Mai vs Austin. Thailand is 84% cheaper with world-class hospitals at 85% below US prices.
Cost of Living in Italy vs. USA (2026) — Real Side-by-Side Numbers
Real side-by-side numbers: Rome vs NYC, Naples vs Chicago. Italy is 28% cheaper overall with WHO #2-ranked healthcare and a €100K flat tax for new residents.
Cost of Living in France vs. USA (2026) — Real Side-by-Side Numbers
Real side-by-side numbers: Paris vs NYC, Lyon vs Denver. France is 30% cheaper overall — and families save $15K–$30K/year on childcare alone.
Cost of Living in Japan vs. USA (2026) — Real Side-by-Side Numbers
Real side-by-side numbers: Tokyo vs NYC, Osaka vs Denver. Japan is 24% cheaper with the world's best transit, $6 ramen lunches, and universal healthcare.
Cost of Living in the UK vs. USA (2026) — Real Side-by-Side Numbers
Real side-by-side numbers: London vs NYC, Manchester vs Chicago. The NHS alone saves $10K–$17K/year — and UK cities outside London are genuinely affordable.
Cost of Living in Germany vs. USA (2026) — Real Side-by-Side Numbers
Real side-by-side numbers: Berlin vs NYC, Munich vs SF. The €63 Deutschlandticket, universal healthcare, and free university make Germany 30-40% cheaper overall.
Cost of Living in the Netherlands vs. USA (2026) — Real Side-by-Side Numbers
Real side-by-side numbers: Amsterdam vs NYC, Rotterdam vs Chicago. The DAFT visa, 30% tax ruling, and world's best cycling infrastructure make the Netherlands uniquely accessible for Americans.
Cost of Living in Australia vs. USA (2026) — Real Side-by-Side Numbers
Real side-by-side numbers: Sydney vs NYC, Melbourne vs Chicago. Australia is expensive — but Medicare, superannuation, and 4 weeks paid leave change the math.
Cost of Living in Colombia vs. USA (2026) — Real Side-by-Side Numbers
Real side-by-side numbers: Medellín vs Denver, Bogotá vs Chicago. Colombia is 60-70% cheaper with $1,500/month comfortable budgets and a digital nomad visa.
Cost of Living in Ireland vs. USA (2026) — Real Side-by-Side Numbers
Real side-by-side numbers: Dublin vs NYC, Cork vs Denver. Ireland surprises — higher rent than expected, but HSE healthcare and EU market access tip the balance.
Cost of Living in Panama vs. USA (2026) — Real Side-by-Side Numbers
Real side-by-side numbers: Panama City vs Miami, Boquete vs Asheville. A dollarized economy, Pensionado discounts, and no income tax on foreign earnings.
Cost of Living in the Philippines vs. USA (2026) — Real Side-by-Side Numbers
Real side-by-side numbers: Manila vs NYC, Cebu vs Austin. The Philippines is 75-80% cheaper with SRRV from age 35 and English everywhere.
Cost of Living in Switzerland vs. USA (2026) — Real Side-by-Side Numbers
Real side-by-side numbers: Zurich vs NYC, Bern vs Denver. The most expensive country on our list — but Swiss salaries, public transit, and quality of life are unmatched.
Cost of Living in New Zealand vs. USA (2026) — Real Side-by-Side Numbers
Real side-by-side numbers: Auckland vs Seattle, Wellington vs Portland. New Zealand is 15-20% cheaper outside Auckland, with ACC coverage and stunning quality of life.
Cost of Living in South Korea vs. USA (2026) — Real Side-by-Side Numbers
Real side-by-side numbers: Seoul vs NYC, Busan vs Chicago. South Korea is 30-40% cheaper with world-class transit, $3 subway rides, and the jeonse deposit system.
Cost of Living in Costa Rica vs. USA (2026) — Real Side-by-Side Numbers
Real side-by-side numbers: San José vs Denver, Tamarindo vs San Diego. Costa Rica is 40-50% cheaper with Pura Vida healthcare, no military budget, and the easiest LATAM visa path.
Cost of Living in Ecuador vs. USA (2026) — Real Side-by-Side Numbers
Real side-by-side numbers: Cuenca vs Tucson, Quito vs Denver. Ecuador is 60-70% cheaper, uses the US dollar, and offers $1,400/month retirement visas with senior discounts on everything.
Visas & Immigration
1 guideBuying Property
7 guides
How to Find a Bilingual Real Estate Lawyer Abroad (and What to Pay Them)
A practical guide to vetting, hiring, and paying an English-speaking real estate lawyer in Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Ireland, Mexico, Japan and beyond.
What a French Notaire Actually Does (and Why You Need One)
The French notaire is a public legal officer, not a lawyer — and is legally required for every property sale. Here's what the notaire does for American buyers in 2026.
Melbourne vs Brisbane vs Perth: Where Americans Get the Best Value in Australia
A 2026 three-way comparison of Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth for American buyers. FIRB approval, stamp duty, and which Australian city gives the most for USD $600K.
What $250K Buys in Porto Compared to Portland, Oregon
A dollar-for-dollar comparison of what USD $250,000 buys in Porto, Portugal versus Portland, Oregon in 2026. Neighborhoods, closing costs, carrying costs.
Rome vs Florence vs Milan: Cost of Buying Property as an American in 2026
A three-way comparison of buying property in Rome, Florence, and Milan as an American in 2026. Prices, closing costs, and which city actually makes sense.
Wellington vs Auckland: NZ Property Prices After the Foreign Buyer Ban
A 2026 Wellington vs Auckland comparison for Americans after the 2018 NZ foreign buyer ban. Who can actually buy, prices, residency paths, and realistic alternatives.
Zurich vs Geneva vs Basel: Swiss Property Prices for Foreigners
A 2026 three-way comparison of Zurich, Geneva, and Basel for foreign property buyers. Lex Koller, prices, closing costs, cantonal tax differences, and realistic paths.
Things to Do
2 guidesPortugal vs Spain for American Expats: An Honest Comparison
The Iberian showdown: cost of living, visa programs, healthcare, property markets, and which one wins.
The Complete Guide to Moving to France as an American
Navigating French bureaucracy, the new digital nomad visa, healthcare that actually works, and life beyond Paris.
